Pictured, from left, Kosciusko Community Senior Services Executive Director David Neff, Pernell Bailey and KCSS Transportation Supervisor Bill Keen.

WARSAW — An overflowing kitchen sink led to an outpouring of kindness for a Warsaw man.

Pernell Bailey, 69, was in danger of being evicted from his apartment. Bailey, a resident at Retired Tigers Apartments, had let the sink in his kitchen overflow several times, resulting in water seeping into the apartment below him.

David Neff, executive director at Kosciusko Community Senior Services where Bailey is a daily visitor, described the recent issue Bailey was having at his apartment.

“He has had an issue with flooding the kitchen. He will start the water in his sink and then become distracted and walk away and forget the water is running,” Neff explained, “This has caused him to flood out the apartment below him. He has done this four or five times and has been written up. If it happens much more he might lose this apartment.”

Staff at Retired Tigers had been gracious regarding the situation, although understandably could not allow the flooding incidents to continue. Neff decided to check into the possibility of a faucet with an automatic shut-off feature.

Neff approached Lesa Hatfield at MidCity Supply, Warsaw, a local supplier of plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, PVF and industrial products, to inquire about this type of faucet. Hatfield confirmed that there are automatic faucets that are equipped with a proximity sensor. The faucet valve closes after a few seconds when it no longer detects the presence of hands. Hatfield advised they would need to special order the faucet.

According to Neff, Retired Tigers was receptive to this solution and agreed to have someone from their maintenance department install the new faucet.

Neff described Bailey as being their best volunteer at KCSS.

“I just can’t describe how positive this guy is,” Neff said of Bailey, “He’s infectious. He’s like that all the time.”

“He’s always busy – taking trash out, cleaning tables, setting up the volleyball net, helping new visitors,” Neff said, “He does volunteer work daily. Every day he’s doing something.”

Neff took Bailey with him to MidCity Supply and introduced him to Hatfield and other employees there. Hatfield and her fellow employees were so impressed with Bailey’s effervescent personality that they decided to donate the faucet to him.

When the faucet was delivered Friday, Sept. 29, Neff accompanied Bailey to MidCity Supply to pick it up. Hatfield then informed Bailey that MidCity Supply is celebrating 70 years of being in business by performing random acts of kindness, with Bailey being chosen as a recipient.

Originally from New Jersey, Bailey lived in Florida for a time before coming to Warsaw two years ago. Bailey described being in a bad position at one time after moving to Warsaw. He reports he was very close to being homeless. When staff at Kosciusko Community Senior Services found out about this, they stepped in. KCSS Transportation Supervisor Bill Keen took Bailey into his own home for a few days, as Neff and Keen helped with paperwork for HUD and social security. The two assisted Bailey in obtaining his apartment at Retired Tigers.

Bailey is currently involved with Kosciusko Literacy Services where he receives help with reading and hopes to earn his GED. He states that out of all the locations he has lived in, Warsaw is his favorite.

“God is good all the time,” said Bailey, “He’s a fixer.”

Pictured, Pernell Bailey thanks Lesa Hatfield of MidCity Supply for the donated water faucet.